Help Request (DIcamp Scat)+ Some Dicamp Pics

Hello Dicamp Enthusiasts,

I wanted to request help from those of you more seasoned in Dicamptodon observation. I was out in location inhabited by Coastal Giant Salamanders (Dicemptodon tenebrosus) and I located several, including these 2 beautiful specimens:












In the same habitat, at what appeared to be a possible burrow was this pile of scat. Please verify that this is a Dicamp' scat. If you have photos of scats from captive or wild specimens, please post here. Here is the scat image:



This is part of a multi-year scientific study on salamanders and other herps, and any help would be HUGELY appreciated. Thank you!

Interesting. I don't have much experience, just luck. I have found some impressive adult females in the past, but it wasn't like I went out in the field and found them, they were just in my well guarding eggs. I wish that I was better at finding this species. But I will learn. Anyway, those are some beautiful adults there. And the scat, to me, it looks like it is probably Dicamptodon scat. I keep T. Granulosa, and their scat looks very similar. I would guess it to be a Dicamp scat. I live in and near Dicamp habitat, but I don't get out and look for them much, but I should start doing it more. I know what I think is a really good habitat area that I may be able to find some nice specimens and sign in. I am just soo eager to learn. Would you consider sharing some info?

Thank you, Seth. I appreciate the reply. Perhaps some folks that keep Dicamps will be able to add their 2 cents as well.

Regarding finding them, I can describe the general habitat to you. This is the first year I have had success finding this species. I have gone from having seen none before, to finding around 40-50 this year. Most of those where larva, of course.

The more I study this species, the more I think they are a stream salamander. Their larva seem to be most likely found in streams, and all of the transformed adults I have found this year were within a few meters of a stream.

They like cold, relatively fast flowing streams in well-forested areas. What sort of Dicamp habitat do you have around you?

Your welcome! .

I have several books that describe good habitat as well. There used to be a multitude of dicamps in the stream by my house, but because of development uphill, it has gone almost completely dry, with water and dicamps alike. It makes me soo mad! . Now there are only a few spots that have decent amounts of decamps, but not nearly as many.

Yes, indeed a stream salamander. I have only found two records of them being in a lake, and both of those high mountain lakes. Have you found any in lakes? The terrestrial adults I have found have all been within a few feet or in the stream. The strange thing is that there is a nice cold, fast flowing stream in good healthy moist forest that has hardly any! . Maybe it was logged years ago and they are recovering from it.

Dicamptodon Tenebrosus is the species by me.

PNWHerper said:

Please verify that this is a Dicamp' scat. If you have photos of scats from captive or wild specimens, please post here.

Click to expand...

I don't think is a Dicamptodon's scat. Normally it's a dark brown, cylindrical and quite stable mass with a lenght of up to 3cm/1,2''. I can't show it as I never took photos of my Dicamptodon's scat :wacko:
This looks more like worm scat to me.

Regards,
Mario